Printing mechanism for card controlled accounting machines



Dec. 8, 1931. F. M. CARROLL 1,835,466

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR CARD CONTROLLE'D ACCONTING MACHINES Filed June 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet Wm, QM.

muh.

Dec. 8, 1931. F. M. CARROLL PRINTING MECHANISM FOR CARD CONTROLLED ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ff ;l

gnou/Lto@ @5%- @uma/W@ M ml .N

Patented Dec. 8, 1931 UNITED s'mrss PATENT OFFICE FRED M. CARROLL, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 THE TABULATING- MA- lCHINIE! COMPANY, OF ENDICOTT, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY PRINTING MECHANISM FOR CARD CONTROLLED ACCOUNTING MACHINES Application led June 18,

This invention relates to accounting machines, such as, for example, a perforated record controlled machine and has for its main object the provision of a machine which will print either numerals, punctuation marks, special identifying characters, or alphabetical characters under thecontrol of perforated records.

In order to avoid the inherent objections of reciprocating printing mechanisms and to cause smooth machine cycles it has heretofore been proposed in Patents Nos. 1,516,079 and 1,623,163 to use a continuously rotating printing drum carrying printing characters which were called in operation as the printing characters successively passed a printing platen. This construction secured much higher printing speeds than were previously possibile but when such a structure was employed for printing alphabetical characters, numerals, etc. it was found that such a drum would be unusually large entailing increased cost of production and operation difficulties due to its size.

In a prior copending application of F. M. Carroll, Serial No. 185,711 filed April 22, 1927, it was proposed to provide the required printing capacity by mounting a plurality of type one below the other on each pivoted type 0 carrier and to cause a relative movement of the platen to select one of the printing characters of a particular concentric group. This required three rotations of the drum for a single card feed cycle but resulted in a small- 5 er printing drum having many advantages over prior structures. y The present invention employs a structure somewhat similar to that disclosed in the prior application but includes in combina-l 1928. Serial No. 286,283.

is to provide a translating mechanism for a rotary alphabetical printer requiring cyclic Operations for all possible printing operations,- that analyzes cards during a continuous uninterrupted feeding operation.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide in combination with a combination numeral and alphabetical printel` a device that selects certain printing characters for operation by the combinational index point system and others by the single index point system.

It is still another object of the presentinvention to shift the analyzing function from one brush to another during the time that a card is being fed and no printing characters are in operative relationship with the printing platen.

The invent-ion may be clearly understood from the following description which should be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are identified by the same reference numerals throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the printing drum to which the present improvements are applied;

Fig.'11rl is a wiring diagram illustrating one embodiment of the present invention;

. Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the arrangement of type disclosed as unwrapped from the printing drum and shows the cyclic relation between the established printing zones and drum revolutions;

Fig. 3 represents a card of the Hollerith type punched for use in the present machine.

As is well known the Hollerith card is provided with a plurality of vertical rows or columns of index points usually numbered 0 to 9, but having two extra positions known as the 11th and 12th positions. The first ten are digit values; and a hole punched at one of these index points will, when the card is run through the proper machine cause a reproduction of that digit value in some` form 'usually by printing the digit or by exhibiting the same in counter Wheels along with other received digit, values.

The present invention uses the standard Hollerith card provided with columns of ten or twelve index points to represent not only the digits, but also the entire alphabet and other arbitrary characters. According t'o the present system, instead of perforating one hole for selection of certain characters, two holes in a column are punched, which taken together form a combinational hole designation. The first hole, according to its position, serves to designate which of several groups of characters contains the character to be selected, andthe second hole designates which of-the several characters in the designated group is to-be selected. I/Vhen a single index point is used to select certain other characters that index point is used both to select a group of characters as well as one in that particular group. Mechanism is then brought into operation to print such characters.

In describing the present invention it has been illustrated in connection with mechanisms more specilically disclosed in the Carroll Patent Nos. 1,516,079 dated November 18, 1924, and 1,623,163 dated April 5, 1927.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a circular type carrying drum 1 having a plurality of type carrying bars 2 pivoted at 3. The drum is rotated constantly by a train of gears denoted by Ba and each type carrier carries a plurality of type 4, one below the other, three eing the usual number of type on a type bar. The drum is mounted for rotation on a shaft 5 and turns in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 so that the type bars pass the printing position in rapid succession. At the printing position are the usual inking ribbon 6 and the platen 7.

Adjacent the type bar in its printing position is a hook member 8 adapted when actuated to move into the path of the hooked portion9 of the type bar 2 to cause one of the type to be impelledagainst the ribbon to eliect printing. The hook 8 is shown pivoted at 10. Each type carrier is provided with a cam surface 11 with which the cylindrical surface of its locking cam 12 engages.` In the printing position of the type carrier 2 a suitable notch 13 of cam 12 is presented to the type carrier to permit it to be rotated about its pivot if it is selected for printing at this time. The type are selected for printing by a call magnet 141. The type carrier is actuated by a printing finger 15 Which is one arm of member 8 previously mentioned. The engagement of the hooked end of member 8 with the hook 9 of the type carrier owing to the inertia of the rotating drum 1, forces one of the type on the carrier against the platen as shown in the dotted line position in Fig. 1, to eiect printing on a record sheet carried thereby. The finger 15 is normally held out of printing position by a compression spring 16. A pivoted lever 17 has a dog 18 pivoted to one of its arms which normally rests against the tip of the printing finger 15. The dog is free to rotate about its pivot but is urged in a clockwise direction against suitable stops bya spring 17a. Another arm of the lever 17 is normally engaged in a notch 19 of a pivoted latch lever 20 the latch lever being urged to latching position by a spring 21. The linger l5 is normally in a non-selecting position and the latch lever 20 in latching position; Energization of magnet 14: attracts its armature 22 and an extension thereon causes a call rod 23 to move to the left in which position the rod 23 rocks the lever 20 against the action of its spring 21 and releases -the lever 17, which under action of spring 17o rocks counterclockwise causing the dog 18 to snap under the end l5 of the printing linger 8.

Shortly after this the cam surface 24: of lever 17 is engaged by a projection 25 of type carrier 2 behind the one that is to print and the lever 17 is rocked clockwise. The dog 18 being under the printing inger 15 thereupon rocks it against the spring 16 and forces the hook into the path of the extension 9 on the type carrier which is thus called for printing. The camming action between cam surface 24: and the extension 25 continues after the proper type is actually selected for printing and the dog 18 slips from/beneath the end of the printing linger 15 whereupon the spring 16 returns the printing finger to normal inoperative osition and a latch lever 72 engages the ever 17 and prevents its further operation until the call magnet 14 is again energized during the next card cycle.

The platen 7 is shown in full lines in one printing position and in dotted lines in its other printing positions. As previously stated it is necessary to shift the platen successively to its three printing positions so that When a type carrier is rotated about its pivot the proper type will strike the platen. The mechanism for shifting the platen is illustrated in F ig. 1. The platen 7 is journalled in a pivoted frame 27 normally held by a spring 28 so that the platen assumes the full line position shown. An operating lever 29 pivoted on a shaft 30 supporting the frame 27 has one armoperatively engaging a pin 31 and the other riding on the surface of a cam 32. This cam is connected to the shaftwhich drives drum'l and which makes one revolution for every three machine cycles. The cam 32 is provided with three dwells each covering approximately one third of its .periphery and each at different radial disuppermost position during one machine cycle at the end of which the next higher dwell of the cam comes under the arm 29 to rock it counterclockwise and the frame 30 until the platen 7 arrives at its intermediate position where it will also remain Vforone .machine cycle. i` i .il At the beginning of the third machine cycle the end of arm 29 rides on the upper dwell on cani 32 and the frame 27 is forced to its lowermost position holding the platen in this position for one complete machine cycle. At the end of this cycle the arm 29 rides on the lowest dwell of cam 32 and the operation is repeated. Each position of the platen as seen in F ig. 1 causes a different type on the type carriers to print.

ln Fig. 1a the card 35 is shown in the Various positions it assumes as it is being fed by the usual feeding rollers 35a. The card is fed in this manner past the several sensing stations designated A, B, C, D and E. Each of these stations are provided with the usual Holler-ith contact brushes 36A, 36B, 36C, 36D and 36Eadapted to engage the related segments 37A, 37B, 37C, 37 D or 37 E when a perforation in the. card passes between a certain brush and the related segment. Geared to shaft 5 is a series of parallel shafts 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D and 5E. On these shafts are mounted a series of cylindrical commutators 45. 1n length they are equivalent to the width of a card and the surface of the same may be insulating material in which are embedded the several contact segments, 37A, 37B, 37C, 37D and 37E which are also long enough to contact the related series of brushes. The several segments are stepped successively around so that as a particular brush leaves its segment, the brush below will then contact its related segment, the former brush then engaging th'e insulated portion of its associated commutator. Each cylinder carries a slip ring 48 electrically connected to the related contact segment, and each ring 48 co- 'operates with a brush 49, the several brushes being electrically connected to one side of a pair of card lever contacts 53.

The spaces between the contact projections 41, 42, 43 and 44 represent separate groups of digit and alphabet characters and these groups are designated A', B and C', D and E inclusive and represent the type carried by the printing bars 2 or the spaces. As shown in Figs. 17 and 2, the latter representing the characters carried by the drum, the sets of type carried by the printing bars are in groups of 14, the group farthest from the pivots of the bars being A-N inclusive, the next group, to and the third group 9-to 0 inclusive.

' Current is supplied to the electrical parts of the apparatus by feed lines 50, 51. When the machine operates and the cards begin to feed downwardly the cards reach a card lever 52 to close contacts 53 establishing a circuit connection from line wire to brushes 49. A single card lever may be employed or a plurality, one for each station, as clearly shown in the Patent No. 1,623,163. The feeding of the card is so synchronized with the rotation of the shaft 5 that, when the cardA is passing the sensing position A the brush 36A will be passingover the index point position 9 at the same time that the brush 40 is passing over the contact 41 which is at the beginning of iield or group A. At this time also, brush 36A engages its related segment 37A and continues such engagement until the last index point position on the card passes the brush 36A. 1f there is a perforation at 9 in the card thebrush 36A will engage the segment 37A and a circuit will be set up as follows: From the supply lead 50, card contacts 53 now closed, brush 49, ring 48, segment 37A, brush 36A, by a wire 54 through magnet 55 to brush 40, point 41, brush 39 to the other side of the line 51. Relay magnet 55 having become energized attracts its armature 56 which is a latch lever normally adapted to keep contacts 58 opened which when closed supplies current from the wire 54 by a wire 57 connected to the printing magnet 14. The other side of the magnet is connected by a Wire 59 to the negative side of the line 51.

When the armature is attracted it is moved downwardly under the action of spring 60 but the closure Vof contacts 58 is delayed by the inertia of the armautre 56 and the distance travelled thereby before releasing contacts 58 that the circuit to magnet 14 is not completed until about the time the second index point position is in registration with brush 36A, and at this time brush 40 is in Contact with the insulated portion of the ring. Obviously any other delayed action may be used to prevent contacts 58 closing in time to permit current to pass through magnet 14 while brush 36A is at the first perforation.

When a second perforation 8 in the same column on the card now passes brush 36A of station A the circuit will be completed toA magnet 14 as aforesaid. The energization of magnet 14 will actuate armature 22 to release hook 8 to actuate a type bar impelling the same against the platen which is now in its uppermost position due to the low part of cam 32 coacting with lever 29. As indicated on the diagram when index'point 9 on the card is under the upper brush 36A the character A will not have reached the printing line so that, should the second perforation be at index point 8 the letter A will be printed. Similarly if the second perforations are either at 7, 6, 5 or 4. etc. the letters B, C, D, E, etc., will be printed, since brush 36A will select characangular movement of drum 1 designated by ters for printing represented by zone A in Fig. 2.

Should the first hole in the card be at the point 8 the contact 41 for zone A will have passed brush 40 and said brush will be on the insulation during the rest of the passage of the card through zone A. Should the lirst hole be at index point 8, when this point reaches brush 36B of zone B-C the contact point 42of zone B-C will be in contact with brush 40 and brush 36B will have engaged its segmental contact 37B so that magnet, 55 will become energized throwing magnet 14 in readiness for the next hole and should it be (77, 677, or (577, letters L, M, or N77 will be printed. At this time the fourteen printing bars will have passed the platen and to render the second group of type active the platen is lowered to its intermediate position by cam 32, this occurring during the X in' F ig. 1.

During the time that brush 36B is sensing holes the circuit to magnet 55 is completed through contacts 61, normally closed, and by wire 62 electrically connected to wire 54. Closing of contacts 61 is permitted by the low part of a cam 63 rotating synchronously with shaft 5.

After sensing of character N it will be observed that angular movement of drum 1 represented by X in Fig. 1 occurs and dur- `ing this time the card is still being fed downwardly so that theoretically, in order that the brush 36B may sense the next hole corresponding to the punctuation mark f the brush 36B should move synchronously with the card. In the present instance such movement is obviated by the cam 63 which by its high part shifts a bell crank lever 64 and a bar 65 to close contacts 66 which electrically connect the brush 36C to wire 62 by wire 67. This brush '36C senses the perforations correspondingto characters 2, P, Q, R, S, T, U which completes zone B-C.

If the first perforation should be at 7 the Card will travel downwardly until it reaches brush 36D at which time brush 40 will contact point 43l thus energizing magnet 55. The second perforation following 7 in the same column will cause the selection of any of the characters of zone D. Prior to the selection of characters during the third revolution of the drum 1, cam 32 will again be effective to lower the platen 7 so that the type carried by the printing bars 2 closest to the pivots thereof may be selected for printing. The lowering of platen 7 occurs, of course, during the angular movement of drum 1 designated by X in Fig. 1.

The selection of characters during the first two revolutions of drum 1 is effected by combinational holes but is controlled by single index point designations during the third revolution of the drum.

If a card punched with a single hole such as 9, 8, or 7 in a certain column is fed suc! cessively past the stations, A, B-C or D, magnet will be energized as premisedhereinbefore to close contacts 58. As the card carrying the single perforation 9, 8 orv 7 reaches brush 36E an impulse will be transmitted through closed contacts 58 to magnet 14 since brush 36E will be in electrical contact with segment 37 E. This will select for operation the printing bars 2 carrying the type 9, 8 or 7. At a certain point in the revolution of the upper commutator carrying segment plate 37A a special segment 68 will Contact brush 36A simultaneous with the contactof brush 40 and contact point 44 thus energizing magnet 55 if the card column carries neither of the single index point perforations9, 8 or 7. If the card column should have an index point designation at 6 or any index point above on the card, such as 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, 11 or 12, the contact of lowermost brush 36E with such index point designations will transmit an impulse to magnet 14 through previously closed contacts 58 thus selecting the proper printing character for operation. p

It will be recognized that after a card has been read and before the next one reaches the reading positions, contacts 58 must be reset to open position. This may be effected by a cam 69 acting at the proper time by a bell crank 70 upon one of the contacts 58 moving it to such a position that it may be subsequently re-latched.

It will be obvious that under certain conditions two type may be selected for printing when one only is required. To prevent double printing an instance of which may be explained by the following example certain additional mechanism is preferably employed.

The passage of the 9 and 8 index point causes as explained in the preceding, the selection of the A character in group A. Since contacts 58 are retained in latched position, the 9 index point as it passes brushes 36E will cause the selection of the 9 numeral type, causing a doubleimprint. Under analogous conditions two type may be selected for printing. To prevent such occurrence the following is employed.

As premised hereinbefore when a lever 17 is released it is automatically relatched by a latching pawl 72 which engages an eXtension 73 of lever 17 and holds it below the notch 19 of the latch lever 20. When so held, 'any second impulse for magnet 14 during the same card cycle will not release the lever 17. Y The series of pawls 72 are car` ried by a frame 74 which is pivoted at 75'.

Secured to the frame is an actuating arm 76 which is engaged by an extension 77 of a cam 71 mounted on shaft 5 and which is given a single revolution per card cycle. At

' be caught by the notches 19 of the latch levers 20 to be released during the next card cycle to select the next type.

As the drum completes its third cycle of revolution cam 32 is-active to raise platen 7 to its uppermost position.

Printing drum 1 carries special printing characters for printing and 0 and are used particularly in total taking operations and since they are not concerned With the present invention they will not be further explained.

The paper feeding mechanism is not disclosed here but may be the same as disclosed in the above mentioned Patent 1,516,079. In

`this connection it vWill be remembered that after the third revolution of the drum the paper Willbe stepped one line space and one card Will have been completely read and the data thereon printed. Thus in the present case, the card Will be fed through the several sensing positions while the type drum makes three revolutions and the paper feeding will take place after each such revolution. In this Way, it will be seen, all of the data taken from a single card will be printed on one line.

While I have shown and described and pointed out the Jfundamental novel features of the invention as appliedy to a single modification it Will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit of the invention. I intend to be limited therefore only as indicated by the scope of the followingl claims:

1. In a record controlled printing machine, means for continuously feeding record cards through the machine in an uninterrupted motion, means for continuously advancing groups of printing characters to and past av predetermined variab-le printing point, and analyzing means operable during the uninterrupted motion of said record cards for selecting one of said printing characters in said groups.

2. In a record controlled printing machine, means for continuously feeding record cards through the machine in an uninterrupted motion, means for continuously advancing groups of printing charactersl to and past a printing platen, means for relatively moving the platen and printing characters to select the groups of printing characters, and analyzing means operable during the uninterrupted motion o'f said record cards for selecting one of said printing characters in 'said groups.

3. In a card controlled machine, means for feeding record cards in an uninterrupted motion through the machine, a cyclically operable drum for presenting di'erent groups of type carriers carried thereby to a variable printing point, and analyzing means operable during the continuous uninterrupted motion of the record cards for selecting a type carrier in one of said groups.

4. In a card controlled machine, means for continuously feeding record cards in uninterrupted motion through the machine, groups of type characters adapted to be presented to a variable printing point, and analyzing means operable during the continuous uninterrupted motion of the record cards for selecting a type carrier in one of said groups.

5. In a card controlled printing machine,

a plurality of groups of type carriers, recordcontrolled electrically actuated group selecting means, and electrically actuated and record controlled means for selecting a type carrier in one of said groups to present it to a variable printing point.

6. In a card controlled printing machine, a plurality of groups of type, a plurality of card perforation sensing stations, there being a greater number of sensing stations than groups of type and adapted to control the operation thereof to present said type to a shifting variable printing point.

7. In a card controlled printing machine, a plurality of groups of type a plurality of card perforation sensing stations, there being a greater number of sensing stations than groups of type and adapted to control the operation thereof to present said type to a shifting variable printing point and means for shifting control from' one sensing station to another during the shifting of said printing point.`

8. In a record card controlled printing machine, a plurality of groups of type adapted to be presented to a variable shifting printing point, and record-controlled analyzing mechanism operable during an uninterrupted vmotion of the record cards adapted to control the selection of a type of one of said groups.

9. In a record card controlled printing machine, a plurality of groups of type adapted to be presented to a variable shifting printing point, means for shifting the printing point to cause the selection of all the type carriers of one of said groups, and record-controlled analyzing mechanism operable during an uninterrupted motion of the record cards adapted to control the selection of a type of one of said groups. 10. In a card Acontrolled printing machine, a plurality of type, a plurality of sensing stations, means for feeding cards. in a continuous uninterrupted motion to said sensing stations, each station being responsive to a separate predetermined position on a card, and type actuating means controlled through said stations adapted to bring the selected type to a shifting printing point.

11. In a record card controlled machine,

means for feeding record cards having index point columns through the machine in a continuous uninterrupted motion, groups of data indicating devices common to a card column and an analyzing mechanism responsive to either combinational hole or single hole designations for differentially controlling said indicating devices.

12. In a record card controlled machine, means for feeding record cards having index point columns through the machine in a continuous uninterrupted motion, said cards adapted to represent data by either single or combinational index point designatlons,

, groups of data indicating devices common to a single card column, and an analyzing mechanism comprising a plurality of analyzing stations responsive to either single or combinational index point designations for differentially controlling said indicating devices.

13. In a record controlled machine, means for feeding cards to the machine, data indicating devices for representing alphabetical characters or numerals, and an analyzing mechanism responsive to combinational index lpoint designations for selecting alphabetical characters and responsive to single index pointdesignations for selecting any of the numerals of a decimal system.

' 14. In a record controlled machine, a plurality of groups of type,.and a plurality of card controlled group selecting stations and card controlled type selecting means responf sive to both combinational vand single index point designations.

15. In a record .controlled machine, a plurality of groups of type, and a plurality of card controlled group selecting stations and card controlled type selecting means responsive to both combinational and single index point designations adapted to bring one of said type to a variable and shifting printing point.

16. In a card controlled machine, a plurality of groups of type representing alphabetical characters and numerals and an analyzing means responsive to both single and combinational index point designations on record cards fed continuously and uninterruptedly to analyzing means for selecting a type of one of said groups.

17. In a card controlled machine, a plurality of type representing alphabetical characters and numerals, an analyzing means responsive to both single and combinational index point designations, said analyzing means adapted to select for operation numeral type in accordance with single index point designations.

18. In a card controlled machine, a drum carrying a plurality of groups of type represent-ing alphabetical characters and numerals, said drum having cyclic rotations commensurate With the number of groups of type carried thereby, and a plurality of sensing stations adapted to select type of one of said groups during the cyclic rotation of said drum.

19. In a card controlled machine, a drum carrying a plurality of groups of type representing alphabetical characters and numerals, said drum having cyclicrotations commensurate With the number of groups of type carried thereby to bring said groups successively in co-operation With a shifting printing point and a plurality of sensing stations adapted to select type of one of said groups after the shifting of said printing point and during the cyclic rotation of said drum.

20. In a record controlled printing machine, comprising several groups of type adapted to be presented successively to a printing point, and an analyzing means responsive to a single index point in a card for selecting one of the several groups of type and the particular type in the selected group to be presented to the printing point.

21. In a record controlled printing machine, groups of type adapted to be presented successively to a printing point, and an analyzing means responsive to either single or combinational index points for selecting a desired group of type and the particular type in the desired group to be presented to the printing point.

22. In a record controlled machine, means for feeding record cards through the machine in an uninterrupted motion, means for continuously advancing groups of printing characters to and past a platen, means for causing a relative movement between said platen and each group of type to select a group of type for printing, and an analyzing mechanism for selecting a type in the pre-selected group.

23. In a record controlled machine, the combination with a plurality of groups of characters, several groups designating alphabetical printing characters and a single group for designating numerals, means comprising a record card having index points Jor selecting the desired groups of type, and means whereby the alphabetical groups of printing characters are selected by combinational index points on said record card and the numeral group by single index points.

24. In a record controlled machine, the combination with several groups of type, and an analyzing means responsive to a plurality of index points of a record card for selecting certain of the several groups of type and responsive to a single index point for selecting another group of type.

25. In a record controlled machine, the combination With a plurality of groups of type, and means responsive to a plurality of index points for selecting a group of type and a particular type in a group and responsive to a single index point for selecting another group of type and a particular type in that group.

26. In a record controlled machine, the combination with a plurality of groups of type, and record controlled type selecting means responsive to a plurality of index points for selecting certain groups and a particular type in such group and to a single index point for selecting a type in another group.

In testimony whereof I hereto ax my signature.

' FRED M. CARROLL. y 

